THE BRONX (WABC) — Tremont Avenue in the Bronx isn’t exactly known for a stress-free commute. The BX36 bus can crawl as slow as five miles an hour during peak hours.
“The 36 is super slow. It takes 30 minutes to get all the way to University literally because there’s so much traffic,” said Aliyah.
However, starting on Saturday, that is about to change when the Tremont Avenue Busway goes into effect seven days a week from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
The busway will run a half mile long, eastbound from Third Avenue to Southern Boulevard to Belmont Avenue.
The first busway in the Bronx – some predict improvements, some predict chaos.
Only buses and trucks are allowed on busways.
Passenger cars and cabs can turn onto the street and park or drop off passengers, but then they have to exit at the very next street.
Some business owners have mixed views on whether this will help or hurt them.
Wander Soriano thinks it’ll help his convenience store and smoke shop, because more foot traffic means more customers.
“The bus is gonna be driving more people. So more people gonna be walking without cars because they don’t wanna get a ticket,” Soriano said.
But for Soap Game Strong… which sells five gallon buckets of soap, it’s a product that needs to be loaded into a vehicle.
“I think they should’ve made the time a little bit later. Maybe from 7-5 you know. 6-8 nobody is gonna be able to pass through,” said Jeremies Bourdier.
It may not be the free buses Mayor Mamdani promised on the campaign trail, but he says with 39,000 daily BX36 riders, it will save riders six minutes a trip.
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